The Goat Pen

sardis wrote:Really, tick? That's what worries you? NATO? An outdated post WWII era treaty?

Can't let those Krauts have an army!

NATO was not about Germany having an Army. It was about preventing the spread of communism into Germany and the rest of Europe. Now if you are arguing that the policies of U.S. participation in NATO, dominated by U.S. decisions and desires since it's inception for 65 to 70 years should change, that's a different argument.

The ambassador to Iraq when asked how close the U.S. was to Kuwait essentially suggested that it wasn't that big a deal led to the Kuwait invasion. I know some of the people have praised Putin, but suggest to him that we don't care about the Baltic states even though they are now part of NATO and no telling what he will do.

I'd have no problem with Germany increasing their Army, but it's propping up the European Union, a lot, which we want to be stable.

The GDP of the EU is now equivalent to the U.S. and more than China and Russia. France, Italy, and Britain have forces. Germany needs to be allowed to develop theirs. They have the financial wherewithal to hold off Putin, certainly. We don't need to be the main force in NATO like we are now.

"If Trump loses big (and I think he'll get at least 44% of the vote), then Cruz will have no chance next election."

If Trump only gets 44% of the popular vote, that would be a democratic landslide of monstrous proportions. I'm getting the feeling it's not going to be that bad, but I think it will be decisive...

Owlman wrote:It was a stupid pledge in the first place. On that I give Trump credit initially. Answer in 2020, "I intend to support the Republican nominee for President. But if he attacks my family, all bets are off."

Or "I intend to support the republican nominee unless he hurts my feelings real bad". Very presidential...

Jesus christ, Trump is proving he can stay on message, i.e., read a teleprompter, and good for him, but goddamn, this has been going on for close to an hour. Wrap it up already...

Longest convention acceptance speech ever, and I'm not sure it's close to over yet...

"terror will still rear its ugly head with mass shooting bombings and bloodshed headlining as often as not"

That's going to happen irregardless of whose president...

eCat wrote:this dude must love fucking with people

Spit pop

Whew, it's finally over. Not bad, as far as these things go, but damn, that was long. Rolling Stones as the outro (even though it's not my favorite Stones song) was a nice touch...

hedge wrote:Whew, it's finally over. Not bad, as far as these things go, but damn, that was long. Rolling Stones as the outro (even though it's not my favorite Stones song) was a nice touch...

I was more excited reading it before hand than hearing him deliver it.

I agree with what he says but damn...he needed more emotion in it. I think the reason it was so long is he finally felt he was in a position to push some specifics without having other GOP opponents shit all over them.

Trump has spent the entire campaign not necessarily going "off message" but meandering and going off on tributaries of his main point, but he didn't do any of that tonight. In a sense, I'm impressed that he can reign it in, but in another, coming across as just another politician staying on message is not what he built this whole thing on. Granted, if he had gone off on his usual asides and rants (which is largely what got him here), this thing would've been going on until tomorrow morning. That had to be way over an hour even staying "on message", if he had gone off on his usual rants it would've been twice that.

There's a kind of irony to this whole thing that in coming across as measured and on point, he appeared as more "presidential" and politically sober than I've ever seen him, but at the same time, that's not what got him here and in fact that's exactly what he's kinda been representing himself as against. But just like Obama with his "hope and change" in 2008 (or any other presidential candidate for that matter), I remain steadfast that irregardless of what Trump is peddling, if he gets elected, it'll be the same as I've said ever since we've been covering presidential politics in here (this will be our 5th, by my count): Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I know that's precisely what Trump has been running against, but that's what they all run against. But once they get in office, it's always the same 'ol same 'ol. I can't see any reason why it would be different this time. Needless to say, it'll be the same if Hillary gets elected....

Goodnight, Irene...

Well...

I love CSPAN. While the other networks are going off on endless "serious" and grave commentary (which will be going on until dawn), CSPAN is interviewing the average joe still down on the floor, while in the background minimum wage workers are methodically popping the balloons on the floor, which is a perfect metaphor for any political convention: Party's over, let out the hot air, sweep up the mess. God bless America...

uverse just had the speakers, no commentary. Same for next week

hedge wrote:

Owlman wrote:It was a stupid pledge in the first place. On that I give Trump credit initially. Answer in 2020, "I intend to support the Republican nominee for President. But if he attacks my family, all bets are off."

Or "I intend to support the republican nominee unless he hurts my feelings real bad". Very presidential...

you equate a person calling your wife ugly in front of millions and accusing your father of murder as hurting your feelings?

i'm starting to come around on Trump. After all, 4 years of HIllary is 4 years of her bitch face on camera and whining over Benghazi. Who fucking cares about Benghazi? How many people died? 3? 4? 5? Guarding an embassy in a dangerous part of the world. But here we go again with the shit that led to us spending millions on a blow job. I won't be able to take it. I won't. I'm sick of the whiny, pedantic crap coming from the Rush LImbaugh crowd and 4 years of Hillary ensures that will happen.

While I think Trump has absolutely no idea how to be president and possesses the ability to get the US in all grades of shit regarding foreign policy, I'm starting to embrace the notion I've had all along that a Trump presidency could very well be the most entertainment we'll ever see. Aside from the morons who think he's qualified getting to flash their "I told you so" grins, I really don't care if Trump wins. My life is shit anyway and it won't change regardless of who is president.

Didn't watch a second. Won't next one either. My friend sent me enough shit from this week in Cleveland I'm shitting Indians. He digs that crap. I don't. If you think your vote or opinion matters I feel for you. You have no say. He'll be at the DNC convention too. It's his job. And I'm sure he'll send me more pictures of balloons falling from the sky. Still don't care. Our votes don't matter unless you have cash. Watch sports instead.

I seriously had to call him and cuss him out after he was bragging about his upcoming interview with Al-Jazera TV. I thought the went out of business

"you equate a person calling your wife ugly in front of millions and accusing your father of murder as hurting your feelings?"

The former, definitely. As for the latter, I don't think that was an outright accusation against Cruz's pappy, just slinging some shit onto the wall to see what would stick. In any case, I wouldn't care if Trump or anybody else had accused Cruz's dad or any member of his fambly of being pedophiles, anything to keep those creeps out is justified IMO. Their mere existence offends me more than any accusation against them could possibly offend them. At any rate, they've got God to fall back on. That's more comfort than they deserve...